Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1887-03-04
Guillottining a Woman.

france, for the first time in fifteen years.
The circumstances attending the execu-
tion were horribly revolving, as were also
the circumstances attending the crime.
The woman had murdered her old mother,
whom she considered burden on her. She
took every precautlon to insure the sue
cess of the murder. She first saturated the
old woman's clothing with oil, then set
fire to her. and held her down witch long
stick while the decrepid old creature was
roasting to death. The old woman cried
piteously for mercy, but the heartless
daughter held her down till she was burn
ed to crisp. And then, to crown murder
with blasphemy, she placed lighted
candle before the statue of the Virgin, as
an act of thanksgiving for the successful
issue of the murder of her mother. The
Inhabitants of the town, Ramortin. in
which the crime took place were thrown
into state of unspeakable excitement
The authorities had much difficulty to
prevent the people from mobbing the pri-
son and lyDching the prisoner. A speedy
trial-and trials IN France are always
speedy-alone satisfied the populace. The
woman was promptly condemned to death.
The French, as is known, are repugnant
to the death sentence, and French jurles
, come in for much ridicule, apropos OF tex
tenuating circumstances" But. in this
case, the trial was over before other trials
would have been begun. Filial love ia
France is one of the strongest character
, istics of the peasantry. and any one who
abuses a parent Is relentlesslv tabooed
society.
In the present Instance the repugnance
of the people in regard to the execution of
woman was overcome by the atrocity of
the crime, and President Grevy, who Is
opposed to capital punishment on prin-
ciple, and who sends nine out of ten MUIR
derers to New Caledonia instead of to M (.
Deibler's machine signed the death war
rant without question.
When the arrival of M. Oeibler became
known to the people of the town, the even
ing before the execution, there was gener-
al rejoicing. The people remained up all
night to witness the execution in the
morning. Most of them were on the
ground outside the prison as early as mid
night. When about CLOCK in the morn
ing, the tumbril or cart appeared bearing
the murderess to the place of execution
the assembled multitude sent up a joyous
shout Ihe distance from the Jail to the
execution ground was long. but the entire
populace of the town followed the death
cortege. All along the way the people
hooted and jeered, the women especially,
and pressed at times so threateningly
around the vehicle that the gendarmes
had to draw their weapons.
On arriving at the fatal spot dead
silence fell on the multitude. The woman
was ordered to descend from the vehicle,
but she did not respond to the summons.
Shs had tainted. The officers removed
her and carried her to the guillotne,
which was grimly standing in the morn
ing light. On her way she recovered her
senses and screamed and resisted. She
was promptly placed on the fatal 1nstru-
mens, with her head thrust through the
bascule. Her screams were drowned BIZ
the shouts OF the assembled people. They
crowded around the instrument despite
the efforts of the gend armes to keep them
back. Mothers held up their babies and
men held their little boys at arms length
to let them witness the execution of the
murderess, that they might remember the
lesson for life.
M. Deibler, who is a humane man, as
far as such may be said of an execution
er, did not prolong the scene. He touched
the "bntton" while the culprit was scream
Ing and the assembled people shouting.
The bead dropped into the basket; the
body was thrown, with the discovered
head, into the wagon, and hurried off to
the cemetery The attendants of Delbler
washed the blood from the stones and ma
chine with their sponges. and the immense
crowd returned home satisfied that justice
had been melted out to the unnatural
daughter who had so craelly murdered
her aged mother. 1t is seldom such
CHASTITY scene is witnessed in France.